GHIC card: apply, renew, and how long it lasts
The UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) is free and lasts for up to 5 years. Apply on the NHS website, not an unofficial one that charges a fee; a card usually arrives within 15 working days of approval. You can apply for a new one up to 9 months before your current card expires.
Last updated 16 Oct 2026 · Joel Lister, founder of Radar
Who this is for: UK residents travelling to the EU and the other countries the card covers, renewing a card, or applying for a family.
Who it is not for: living, working or studying abroad, which have their own rules, or travel insurance, which the card does not replace.
| What | The rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free. Unofficial websites may charge a fee to apply: use the NHS website. | NHS |
| How long it lasts | Up to 5 years. The expiry date is on the card. | NHS |
| Renewing | Apply for a new card up to 9 months before the current one expires. | NHS |
| How long it takes | Usually within 15 working days of the application being approved. | NHS |
| An old EHIC | Still usable until the expiry date on the card. | NHS |
| Where it works | EU countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway; Switzerland only for British, Swiss and EU nationals and some others. | NHSBSA, GOV.UK |
How to apply for a GHIC
Apply through the NHS website, which links to the official application. It is free; avoid unofficial websites, which may charge a fee to apply. You can add your spouse, civil partner and children to your application, and each of you gets a card of your own. Once your application is approved you should receive the card within 15 working days (NHS).
If you need treatment abroad before your card arrives, or without it, you can apply for a Provisional Replacement Certificate, which covers you in the meantime (NHS).
Renewing a GHIC or an EHIC
A card lasts for up to 5 years, and you can apply for a new one up to 9 months before the current one expires. An EHIC you already have can be used until the expiry date printed on it (NHS). Check the date before you book, not at the airport.
What a GHIC covers, and what it does not
It lets you get necessary state healthcare in the countries it covers on the same basis as a resident there, which may be free or may cost what a resident would pay. It cannot be used for planned treatment, and it is not a replacement for travel insurance: it does not cover private care, mountain rescue or being flown back to the UK (NHS, NHSBSA).
Travelling soon? The passport renewal guide covers the other document with an expiry date.
What Radar does with this
- Life setup asks: “When does your GHIC or EHIC card expire?” The expiry date is on the front of the card. Radar reminds you 30 days ahead.
- Life setup asks: “Do you have annual travel insurance? When does it renew?” Lapsed cover is usually only noticed at the airport. Radar reminds you 21 days ahead.
- Life setup asks when your GHIC or EHIC expires and when your travel insurance renews, and puts each on your Radar ahead of the date, so a card is renewed before a trip rather than found expired at the airport.
Radar reads the calendars, task lists and CRM you connect, and the dates you give it. It writes back only when you press a button, and it never sends anything by itself.
Limitations and status
- Radar reminds you of the expiry date; it does not apply for or renew a card.
- Studying, working or living abroad changes what the card covers: check the NHS Business Services Authority’s own guidance.
Also free: Radar Lite, the habit tracker on its own, for you and anyone 13 or over in the family.
Questions
Is the GHIC card free?
Yes. Apply on the NHS website; unofficial websites may charge you a fee to apply. (NHS)
How long does a GHIC card last?
Up to 5 years. The expiry date is on the card. (NHS)
When can I renew my GHIC?
Up to 9 months before your current card expires. (NHS)
Is my EHIC still valid?
Yes, until the expiry date on the card. After that, apply for a GHIC. (NHS)
Do I still need travel insurance with a GHIC?
Yes. The GHIC is not a replacement for travel insurance: it does not cover private care, mountain rescue or being flown back to the UK. (NHS)
More guides
Sources
- Applying for healthcare cover abroad (GHIC and EHIC), NHS, read 16 Oct 2026
- Where you can use your card, NHS Business Services Authority, read 16 Oct 2026
- Healthcare for UK nationals visiting the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland, GOV.UK, read 16 Oct 2026
Written by Joel Lister, founder of Radar · first published 16 Oct 2026. Radar is made by Neos Technologies Ltd.